1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to containers for prescription medications and, more particularly, to a pill container attached to a cap of a prescription bottle.
People often are required to consume a half of a pill and must break medications in half. These xe2x80x9chalf-pillsxe2x80x9d often become lost in the prescription bottle that is obtained from the pharmacy and are difficult to extract when needed.
Also people sometimes take various combinations of pills and other types of medications at the same time. It is desirable to be able to carry those various other pills conveniently along with the main medications.
While various containers having a plurality of compartments are known, they are larger than is desired and they also cost additional funds.
When a pill type of a prescription is filled at a pharmacy it is almost always placed in a plastic prescription bottle by the pharmacist.
Typically these prescription bottles are well known types of containers that are often amber in color but may also be clear or include other shades. They come in a few standard sizes and their use is widespread.
As such these prescriptions bottles incur no additional cost to the user. All of these prescription bottles have removable caps.
Ideally, a solution would allow retrofitting to existing caps that are being used or which have already been sold.
Accordingly there exists today a need for a device that economically allows prescription bottles to separately contain half-pills or other types of pills.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Pill containers are, in general, known. For example, the following patents describe various types of these devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,471 to Kassouni, Dec. 26, 2000;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,180 to Nichols, Jr. Jul. 8, 2000;
U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,017 to Bayliss, IV, Mar. 14, 2000;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,919 to Freed, Dec. 22, 1998;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,755 to Gibilisco, Dec. 19, 1989;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,011 to Polyblank, Jan. 6, 1987;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,654 to Fruchter, Oct. 9, 1984;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,179 to Bender, May 27, 1969;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,378 to Ross, Mar. 18, 1969;
U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,484 to Nelson, Feb. 6, 1968;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,766,796 to Tupper, Oct. 16, 1956;
U.S. Design Pat. No. 427,906 to Carter, Jul. 11, 2000;
U.S. Design Pat. No. 316,039 to Sykes et al., Apr. 9, 1991; and
U.S. Design Pat. No. 279,651 to Freeman, Jul. 16, 1985.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap-mounted pill container that includes a second receptacle that attaches to a cap of a prescription bottle and which can contain a quantity of pills therein.
It is also an important object of the invention to provide a cap-mounted pill container that includes a second receptacle that attaches to a cap of a prescription bottle by the use of an adhesive and which can contain a quantity of pills therein.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cap-mounted pill container that includes a second receptacle that attaches to a cap of a prescription bottle by an adhesive that is exposed by peeling off a covering and which can contain a quantity of pills therein.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a cap-mounted pill container that can be used to contain half-pills therein.
Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a cap-mounted pill container that includes an opening for access therein, the opening being accessible when the cap is removed from a prescription bottle and inaccessible when the cap is attached to the prescription bottle.
Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a cap-mounted pill container that cannot be attached to a prescription bottle when the cap-mounted pill container is in an open position.
Still yet another important object of the invention is to provide a cap-mounted pill container that, according to an alternate embodiment, can be formed integrally with new caps for prescription bottles.
Still yet one further important object of the invention is to provide a cap-mounted pill container that that allows the cap-mounted pill container to be reused.
Briefly, a cap-mounted pill container apparatus for use with a prescription bottle that is constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention has a second smaller container that is adapted to attach to the inside surface of a prescription bottle cap by use of an adhesive. The smaller container includes an outside diameter that is less than the inside diameter of the prescription bottle and it includes an opening therein that is disposed on a bottom end of the smaller container. Preferably, when the opening is placed in an open position, the opening renders a portion of the diameter of the smaller container larger than that of the inside of the prescription bottle and therefore the cap cannot be placed on the bottle. This prevents the contents of the smaller container from spilling out. According to an alternate embodiment, the smaller container is formed integrally with the cap.